Provenance
The first accession, in 1994, consists of the office files of the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights. CLGR’s archives remained in their original file cabinets at the Center after CLGR’s office, which was located in the Center, was closed in 1994 until they were removed for processing and rehoused in the National Gay and Lesbian Archive.
The second accession,CLGR files, records from other organizations and personal papers, came from the apartment of Eleanor Cooper. Physical disability having forced her to give up her apartment in 1985, her papers were stored by friends until they were donated to the Archive in 1998.
Use Restrictions
No names may be published unless (1) they are publicly known to be gay or lesbian, or (2) their permission has been obtained, or (3) they are deceased. Restrictions are only in regards to publication; any researcher may view or copy any document in the collection.
Scope and Content
Five boxes comprising 4 1/3 feet of documents. The first three boxes contain the files of CLGR. The third also contains material from and concerning other organizations in which Cooper was active. Box 4 and the beginning of Box 5 contain general and reference information about a variety of subjects of interest to the CLGR or to Cooper. Box 5 also contains personal papers and personal information about Cooper.
Square brackets, i.e. [...], in folder titles enclose labeling supplied during collection processing. Non-bracketed titles or parts of titles are original from CLGR or Cooper.
Documents from 1978 through 1995 are included, but the bulk of the material dates from 1982 through 1986. Many items are undated.
In general the documents deal with politics and political education/lobbying for the gay rights bill, with publicity and fundraising, and with current topics especially as they relate to lesbian and gay interests.
Folder 55 contains material about the 1987 March on Washington. See Center Collections 004 and 005 for the records of the Organizing Committee and the Transportation Committee of the Organizing Committee of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
See the Vertical Files for newsletters and notices and the Visual Collection for photos of Eleanor Cooper and CLGR events.
History or Bio
CLGR was founded in 1977 as an umbrella organization of gay and non-gay groups to fight to outlaw discrimination based upon sexual preference in New York City. The Gay Rights Bill, Local Law 2, was passed by the City Council in 1986, 15 years after the first bill was introduced, CLGR being credited with playing a major role in its passage. Eleanor Cooper, one of the founders of CLGR and one of its spokespersons, was also a member of Community Board 2 (Chelsea Clinton) and a leader in various Lesbian organizations. After 1986, many CLGR activists drifted into other organizations and causes, but CLGR activity across a range of gay and lesbian issues continued until it ceased functioning in 1994.
Folder List
Box 1:
1. [Committee of Outraged Lesbians]
2. Sample Letters [re NY Gay Rights Bill, 1986]
3. Letters to Council members & Others
4. Letters from Council members etc
5. Conference Proposal: Betty Santoro [Prelude to Nat'l March on Wash. II, 1986]
6. Petition copies/Please vote 576.A (not the Petition)[986]
7. 1978 CLGR Brochure
8. Panel Talk - AIDS in Workplace - C. H. Project 4-16-86
9. About Nick (Raison D'etre est Mystery, But It Seems to Have Been Requested)
10. City Council Scorecard 3/11
11. Q & A about Intro 2
12. Lambda LDEF - 576A Unconstitutional - LTR 5-5-86 to Horowitz
13. NYU Law School Petitions Intro 2 Feb '86
14. S.I. Letters Petition (Xerox)
15. Originals for Copying
16. Constitution of CLGR, May 27, 1986
17. CLGR's Constitutional Drafts (1986) + Old Constitution, 1979
18. Hearings 11- 19-84 [Transcript of Gen. Welfare Com. Hearings]
19. 2/23/86 CLGR Letter of Hearing
20. CLGR Newsline D-Days Abound in March [1986]
21. CLRG Letter, 3/5/86
22. Invitation to March 11 Hearing
23. 4.28 CLGR LTR to Friends of Rights
24. EO 50 to Amicus Brief (1984?) [Executive Order 50]
25. Action Alert (576A from C. L. to Mayor) CLGR
26. Action Alert!!! (Hearing & Protest 576A before Koch) CLGR Newsline 5-16-86
27. Sample Letters - The Main Set of 5 for Rights Bill
28. Anti-Gay Rights
29. Sample Letter - 576A
30. Filing - D. Brienza (30) [Campaign finance]
31. Originals [1986]
32. [Filings, 1985 - Campaign Finance]
33. Filings - Eisland (10) [Campaign Finance 1985]
34. Filings Ferrer (13) [Campaign Finance 1985]
35. Filings - Pinkett (28)
36. Filings - Leffler (16)
37. Filings - Vallone (24)
38. Filings - Berman (23)
39. Filings - Robles (27)
40. Filings - Gerges (29)
41. [Speakers for Council Hearings 3/11/86]
42. Campaign to Stop AMDTS. To New G. RTS. Law 1986
43. History of Bill [1986]
44. Membership Application to CLGR - Alliance Against Female Oppression
45. Intro 576A Memo & Bill
46. Intro 2 [1986]
47. Ron Marx's Complaint
48. Lambda LDEF 576A Unconst. LTR
49. Testimony [March 1986]
50. Kogan Draft Native Article?
Box 2:
51. [New York State Coalition of Gay Organizations, By Laws, Minutes 1977-978, List of Member Organizations]
52. [New York State Gay & Lesbian Lobby, '87-'89]
53. [Ad Hoc Committee on Family Diversity, '88]
54. [Family Diversity Coalition, '89-'92]
55. [March on Washington Financial Account & Post-March Material, 1980]
56. [National Lesbian & Gay March on Washington, '87]
57. Support File Medical [CLGR, '87]
58. Support File General Info [CLGR, Undated]
59. [Letters to Mayor Koch, Council President Bellamy & Council Members re Intro 384, '78]
60. Support File Press - National Gay Task Force [CLGR, Undated]
61. [Gay Teachers Support Packet - National Gay Task Force, Undated]
62. Support File Master Copy [CLGR, Intro 475, Intro 2 & Intro 554, '71- '75]
63. [CLGR Minutes, Jun 15, '86, May 12, May 19, Jun 2, '87 & Mar 7, '89]
64. [CLGR- Misc. Material re Gay Rights Bills, '78-'83 & Undated]
65. [CLGR Misc., '78-'94]
66. [CLGR Membership Appeals & Fund Raising Letters, Undated & '92]
67. [CLGR Albany Reports and Lobbying Material, Undated]
68. [Misc. Material re NY State Gay Rights Law, '77-'87]
69. [Various Histories of NY City Gay Rights Bills, '71-'86]
70. [CLGR Task Force on People with AIDS (PWA's) & Stationery, '88-'89
71. [CLRG Stationery, 2 Different Versions]
72. [CLRG Commemorative Journal, Passage of Intro 2, June '86]
73. [CLGR 10th Anniversary Commemorative Journal and Related Material, Jun '87]
74. [CLGR 11th Anniversary Reception & 2d Annual Awards, Jun '88]
75. [CLGR 12th Anniversary Reception & 3d Annual Awards, Jun '89]
76. [CLGR NY City Certificate re Mayor Koch signing Local Law 2, '86]
77. [CLGR Certificate of Commendation for Local Law 2 Efforts, '86 & Invitation to Awards Party, Dec '86]
78. [CLGR Invitation to 10th Anniversary Party for Passage of Local Law 2, Apr '86]
79. [CLGR Holiday Party Honoring Joyce Hunter & Jim Levin, Undated]
80. [CLGR Veteran's Day Party Invitation, Nov 11, '93]
81. [CLGR Wall St. Project, '92]
82. [CLGR Draft of NY State Bias Crimes Bill, '89]
83. Deposit Slips, Bank Statements [& Phone Bill, CLGR, '77,'78,'95]
84. [David Thorstad Resignation Letter as CLGR Spokesperson, Mar '79]
85. [Handwritten Invitation to Stonewall 20 Years Later Forum, 5/9/89]
86. [Minutes of 3/11/89 Planning Meeting for Stonewall 20th Anniversary Conference]
87. [CLGR - Cardinal O'Connor Letter Concerning Catholic Hospital Policy, '84]
88. [Archdiocese of NY: Cardinal O'Connor Letter to Cooper, '85; Opposition to Gay Rights Law, '86]
89. [Opposition to Joseph Lisa, CLGR, '87]
90. [Yellow Pad -'89]
91. NY Women's Center ['70]
92. Women's Center & Fifth St. Building - Program Materials ['72]
93. Chelsea Firehouse Proposal, 1973 [Women's Liberation Center]
94. [Letters from Organizations Supporting Chelsea Firehouse Purchase by Women's Liberation Center, '84]
95. [Firehouse Purchase, Lesbian Group Non-Endorsement, '82]
96. [Women's Liberation Center History, Description, Activity, Financial Info re Proposed Purchase of Firehouse, Stationery, '73-'84]
97. [Women's Liberation Center Board of Estimate Approval of Firehouse Sale with Nonprofit Restriction, '80]
98. [What is the Women's Center]
99. [Women's Liberation Center Minutes, List of Directors, '86]
100. [Report to Women's Center Board - Space Rental Project, '86]
101. [Women's Liberation Center - Flyers]
102. [Women's Liberation Center Handwritten Draft, Annual Open House Invitation, Undated]
103. Auction, June 2, 1984
104. [Women's Liberation Center "Women on Our Own" Project, Undated]
105. 1979 Contract Revised and Approved ["Women on Our Own" - Women's Liberation Center
106. CETA Applications 1979 ["Women on Our Own" - Women's Liberation Center]
107. [Women's Liberation Center donation Thanks & Form Letter, '86]
108. WLC Letterhead Impromptu Style
109. [Women's Liberation Center Threatened Sale of Firehouse, '81]
110. Information Collective
111. Past Engagements [Speakers]
112. Speakers Collective Financial Records
113. Speakers Collective Work to Do
114. Speakers Collective Log Sheets/Spring 1970-71
115. Speakers Collective
116. Correspondence [Speakers Collective]
117. Reply to New Form Letter
118. Women Asking Action By Us
119. Information Collective Returned Answers to Letters
120. Information Pertaining to Steering Collective (Nov. Statement, Tax Exempt Status, Forms, etc.)
121. Women's Center Journal [Financial Records, 79- '83]
122. Financial Collective - General [Bank Resolution & Organizing Notes, WLC, '70]
123. [Bank Statements - Women's Liberation Center, '78 & '85-'86]
Box 3:
124. Monthly Dues for Women's Center [1970]
125. Insurance [Women's Liberation Center, '83-'87]
126. [Women's Liberation Center of Nassau County]
127. [First Women's Economic Development & Employment Corp., Certificate of Incorporation & Minutes of First Annual Meeting, '81-'82]
128. Purchase of Firehouse ['84]
129. [Firehouse Drawings]
130. [First Women's Economic Development & Employment Corp. By Laws ('82), Minutes ('85-'86), Director List ('85)]
131. [Community Board 4 Resolution re First Women's, '86]
132. [1982 Block Grant]
133. [First Women's Economic Development & Employment Corp., Proposal for Resource Directory to NY City, '85-'86]
134. [Letter to IRS - 1986]
135. [LFL Political Material,'73-'86]
136. [LFL Mailing] List
137. [unfoldered - five 8x10 spiral notebooks and two video tape containers]
138. [Misc.]
139. Correspondence to CLGR
140. Language Committee - CLGR
141. Material for Press Kits
142. Media Committee [1978]
143. Media Releases - CLGR - Chronological Order [1978]
144. Intro 384 - Demonstrations
145. Press Releases 1979
146. Bigot of the Month [1979]
147. CLGR Sign-Up Sheets [1986-87]
148. Sign-Up Sheets [1982]
149. Mailings - First 1970
150. CLGR Mailing List
151. CLGR Volunteer Forms
152. Letter Writing Support Info
153. Odds & Ends
154. G. I. D. Membership List [Gay Independent Democratic Club]
155. CLGR Copy of All Materials [1978]
156. Bulletin ADS [1979]
157. AD (unfoldered)
Box 4:
158. Check Stubs
159. Real Estate Meeting - Nov. 22, 1973
160. Herstory
161. Radical Feminists
162. Vietnam
163. Peace Movement Literature, Black Liberation, etc.
164. Bulletin Board
165. Womens East Fifth Street Building
166. Fourth World Manifesto
167. Catalogues
168. Health
169. Image of Women in Advertising & The Media - N.O.W. - N.Y.C.
170. Any Woman's Blues: A Collection of Writing from Women's Studies
171. C1- C2 Self Help Project - Dorothy Tennon Ph.D.
172. Abortion
173. Old Notices
174. Other Centers Info
175. N. O. W.
176. International Literature & Letters
177. Women & The Law
178. [Articles]
179. Psychology Packet, 1972
180. [AIDS Article Summaries, 1984]
181. Gay Games 1994
182. Porn [Meese Commission, 1985]
183. [Gay Academy Union Research on Sodomy Repeal]
184. Women & Socialism
185. Sex
186. WONAAC [Women's National Abortion Coalition]
187. Centers for Change [1972}
188. Women & Welfare
189. Consciousness Raising
190. Women in China
191. Beauty Trap
192. Legislation
193. Sex Roles
194. Health
195. New York Radical Feminists
196. Women in the Left
197. Periodicals
198. Women's Studies
199. Berkeley Women's Liberation Conference Aug. 15-17, 1969
200. [1976-1995 & Undated Material from Various Lesbian and Women's Organizations]
201. Cruising [Movie Protest,'79]
202. [Disable in Action, '85- '86]
203. [Dade County Coalition for Human Rights Letter, Oct. '77]
204. [Gay Activists Alliance - Intro 5554, Undated]
205. [NAMBLA]
206. [Enoch Williams Controversy, '92]
207. ["Notes on Child Care", Undated Article]
208. [Paper - "Causes of Homosexuality", Undated]
209. [SWEEP - Exposure of Socialist Worker Party - WUNTRAC - '71]
210. [Domestic Partnership Proposed Local Law , '86- '92]
211. [Homelessness & AIDS, '88-'89][
212. [Gay Rights Bill in New Zealand, '85]
213. [Gay Directories, '89 & Undated]
214. [Misc. Material from Various Organizations, '70's & Undated]
215. [Misc. Material - Individuals - '87 - '94 & Undated]
216. [Humm -Testimony on AIDS and Youth, '87]
217. [Misc. Reports on Homosexual Rights, '75-'86]
Box 5:
218. [Material re: Hate Crimes Legislation - NYC, NYS & USA, '87-'95]
219. [National Gay and Lesbian Task Forces, '89]
220. [Child Abuse Literature, '88-'89]
221. [Campaign for A People's Budget, '89]
222. [Memorial Programs, '87-'95]
223. [Memo Books, Undated]
224. [Cooper's Date Book, '75-'76 & Undated Memo Book]
225. [Personal letter to and from Cooper, 1983-'90 & Alison's Horoscope]
226. [Letter to Cooper from New Zealand re Int'l Lesbian & Gay Conference, Dec. '87]
227. [Personal Hair Analysis Report - Cooper - 1983]
228. Ladykillers [Original Notes, Supply Info, Bills, 1979-'90]
229. [Cooper - Various Versions of Her Resume, Job Application Undated, Job Recommendations, '87 & NY State Civil Service Test Notice, '80]
230. [Cooper - Apartment Lease, 1983]
231. [Cooper - Misc. Personal Bank Records, '75, '87, Check to US Passport Service, 87, Paycheck Stubs, '83 & '84, 1099 from Partnership for the Homeless, '88]
232. [Cooper - Termination of Consulting, Partnership for the Homeless, '92]
233. [Cooper - Attorney's Bill for Probate Work, '95]
234. [Cooper - Chinese Doctor Diagnostic Report, '87]
235. [Cooper's Social Security Card, SSI Determination Letters, '90-'95]
236. [Cooper - Personal Health Informational Material, '85]
237. [Cooper - Medicaid Authorization Letter, 1995]
238. [Cooper - Application for Housing Assistance Letter & Support
239. [Cooper - Medical Bills, '88-'96]
240. [Cooper - Certificate of Appreciation, 10 Years Community board Service, '89]
241. [Williams (Cooper?) Family Genealogy - Yellow Pad - '81
Video Tape List
1. Donahue Safe Sex Orgies, Gay/Straight 7/8/1992 (mentions CLGR)
2. CLGR AIDS Forum 11/19/1991
3. Court no/date
4. CLGR 3/19/1991
5. Lesbian TV n/d
6. ACT UP n/d
7. Rapheal Gay Family 6/5/1988
8. Cristina Gay Men/Straight Wives 7/19/1992; Pavich Lipstick Lesbians; Montel Williams Lipstick Lesbians; Donahue Gay Gay, etc.
9. Geraldo 8/18/1988; Lovers Rights" Connie Rutner; GCN at Republican Convention 8/15, 16/1988
10. GCN Republican Convention 8/17/1988
11. CLGR 5/21/1991
12. GLGR Domestic Partnerships 3/5/1991
13. Lesbianism, Oprah Winfrey 2/9/1988; Shilts Patient "O"
14. City Council n/d
15. GLAAD Bob Hope Anti-Gay Violence Public Service Announcement "Before Stonewall" n/d
